The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-11-09
THE SNAKE CHARMER.
BX ANNIE Il. NONON.

simply ssy-as would say that l have
a lock of gray hair in bad place on my
head and mole on my ncck-that am
trrcsistibly drawn toward tropical snakes,
and have q leaning in the direction of
fakirs and smuggicrs. My friend Ilar
court is as much drawn the other way
but swear had no notion of the prob
able effect on him the day drew him into
little cross street or court, where a
number of very fat, we'll preserved boaS
were lolling in the obscurity of a dark
glass case on pile of semi-whtc blan-
kc:s
Iarcourt, something of a dreamer
generally, followed Inc in my scarchings
after wonders, as amiably as Il collie,
with only an understanding in tacit
sort of way that | wa not to Introduce
him to women who would fancy it an
incumbent bcncvolence to pull him out
and make him talk
hardly think hc knew where we were
until l forcibly plucked him out of the
unrestricted glare of July day to the
gaudily-papcred passage way to the
museum
Harcourt, have some lovely spcci-
mcns to show you-mottlcd boas and
'coblas. and an awfully swell kind of
snake charmer done up in the true Ori-
'ental flimsies-red colt, bracelets of
'sequins, and all that. The Rajah is a
snake you should know. Upon my life,
think he begins to know me-"
With the best intentions in the world,
I gave Harcourt a little push, and he
stumbled against the cage with dull
thunp on the glass, which reused
Rai i:ah, "and, rearing his head very SEN
sibly. he gazcd straight into our eyes.
As pale and limp as live man could ever
become, my friend shrank back and
seemed suddenly brett of his legs. l
stcadied him up, and really thought on
the moment that the ministerial llar-
court had imbibcd an extra glass of some
spirited American drink lie asked me
to take him in the air lie was pitiably
weak and US ghastly a. if he had seen his
:grandmother's ghost in a camera obscula.
fhis strong, rolicking breeze brought
him round, and almost quite himself hc
led tic way to one of the little waySidc
parks so rcfrcshiugly frequent in the
large cities of this country.
fte laid his hat on the park seat and
nc:vously wiped his forehead, while
tried TO cntice pigeon from the gravel
with plum cake, seeming not to notice his
strange agitation.
lie reverted to tn" affair uppcrmost in
my mind himself H. hi painfully straight
forward way:
x Don't laugh. Strahan, when tell you
that | am Save to IN all pcrvading
dominant horror. Icannot look at snakes,
although once l really believed that
nature intended to inspire admiration in
making a brown and green boa. And
women of the tropics were once my ado
alton, with their brown vclfety skins.
black eyes and graceful movements"
He shuddcrcd. Now l can ncvcr sec
the one without being reminded Of the
other"
There are pages in my life, Strahan,
which you do not know: but YOU do
know that | was one of her Majcsty's
Foot Guards in India and that | sold my
commission on account of fever to De
Land, of the lIawkhurst Blues, and left
before my time. was wild fellow in
those days. A few hours before my de-
parturc, while returning from tiger
hunt in which and my followers were
shameiully outwittcd. Iran across the tent
Z of snake charmcr--a villainously dirty
old Hindu, who with horrible yclls and
imprccations made the twilight lidcous
.by cudgcling his daughter, as he sworc
she was, while she uSSc"cratt d with lifted
arms to Allah, that she was Simply his
slave. intcrfrrrcd, of course. We had
afrce fight, leaving t!lr old fakir hors dc
combat, and | bore OF tho child Zobcidr
ono of the lovciic>t creatures even then
that | had ever seen. anil rs wild us hawk.
lit was lucky that had been fully
prepared to quit tho country. As it WAS.
the boys of my mess h>"gcd he to haze
nothing to do with ParScc. Hindu or
.arab women. 10 leave this dark-cycd
houri behind. Seeing Inc obdurate. Cap
tain Bc!lamy said:
do as you will, lIarcourt; but YOU
anav rcgre; the day YOU did so foolish a
,:hing. Kindly :cmcmhcr that warned
you.
"hnd how often have.
But thcu---it was with a glow OF cx-
.ultation atlmi ted to m:scli the entire
ownership OF ever, thing 50 untainted and
SO beautiful as Zobcid2 shc wa> as de-
licious to my senses as Il pomc@ranatc
blossom, and WAS gratitude itself. Poor,
starved, unlovcd little thing. She
twined about ne like vnc.' Aga Il
Chat convulsive shuddcr.
You recognize the old routlnc-thc
rsanncr OF d'sposing OF such cases? My
enadcn aunt consented to chapcron my
nrotcgcc. Into her hands gave Zob.idc
tor a year, stipalating that she be taught
all Christian "raccs And Sn | lcf: her
70 tapestries, Frca"h verbs and tn,
piano.
II CONFESS thought very lite about
her. The only life ctwccn me and my
estates was >e"crc,l by the death. whil?
hunting, of my cousin, the young Earl
of Farisilam, and WIS Er .ught to
realize my position by N: solicitor
could give my wife position which
would seem desirable in English eyes !;
L entertained some cytravagant notions
about the new life at the hall and the
new Lady Favisham whom l would
Introduce to my people. The most daz-
ziing beauty on the walls of the old pict-
ure gallery would, l felt. pale beside
fine charms Of the last Lady Harcourt,
Countess of FaviSham.
<'Yct how shall I describe my first
mceting with here heard her light foot
IN the corridor. and the ,uStl. of her
ssilken gows. The morains sunshine